WRITING RESUMES AND APPLICATION LETTERS. ANALYZE YOURSELF

WRITING RESUMES AND WRITING RESUMES AND APPLICATION LETTERS APPLICATION LETTERS

ANALYZE YOURSELFANALYZE YOURSELF

Marketable skills? 10 Marketable skills? 10 achievements you’re proud achievements you’re proud ofof

Educational preparation? Educational preparation? Volunteer work? Awards? Volunteer work? Awards? Scholarships?Scholarships?

Personal characteristics?Personal characteristics?

What do you have to offer?What do you have to offer?

What do you want to do?What do you want to do?

Decide what you like Decide what you like to do every dayto do every day

Establish some Establish some specific compensation specific compensation targetstargets

Consider the type of Consider the type of environment you environment you preferprefer

Where do you find employment Where do you find employment information?information?

Newspapers--business Newspapers--business magazinesmagazines

Dictionary of Dictionary of Occupational TitlesOccupational Titles, , Occupational Outlook Occupational Outlook HandbookHandbook

Private Employment Private Employment AgenciesAgencies

State Employment State Employment AgencyAgency

Professional and trade Professional and trade journalsjournals

The World Wide WebThe World Wide Web Many books--Many books--What What

Color Is My Parachute?Color Is My Parachute? Career CounselingCareer Counseling ContactsContacts University Placement University Placement

OfficeOffice

CAREER BUILDING CAREER BUILDING EFFORTSEFFORTS

Develop an employment Develop an employment portfolioportfolio

Gain intercultural experienceGain intercultural experience Participate in internship Participate in internship

programprogram Network with others in your Network with others in your

fieldfield Take interim jobs and classesTake interim jobs and classes Expand your life experienceExpand your life experience

WRITING YOUR RESUMEWRITING YOUR RESUME

Format and StyleFormat and Style

Must look good--decision Must look good--decision made in 45 secondsmade in 45 seconds

White or light bond White or light bond paper--letter and resume paper--letter and resume on matching paperon matching paper

Laser printer onlyLaser printer only Everything correctEverything correct One full page of infoOne full page of info One page with referencesOne page with references

ContentsContents

Your strengths--Your Your strengths--Your assetsassets

Bare essentials--name, Bare essentials--name, address, education, address, education, work experiencework experience

Don’t exaggerate, but Don’t exaggerate, but don’t dwell on don’t dwell on negativesnegatives

Career ObjectiveCareer Objective

Solicited Application--Solicited Application--specific objectivespecific objective

Unsolicited Application--Unsolicited Application--general objectivegeneral objective

““To obtain a job that will To obtain a job that will allow me to use my allow me to use my training and education” training and education” not a good objectivenot a good objective

EducationEducation

Most recent firstMost recent first School, major, School, major,

minor, degrees minor, degrees and/or certificates, and/or certificates, date of graduationdate of graduation

ScholarshipsScholarships Grade point Grade point

average?average?

Work ExperienceWork Experience

Most recent firstMost recent first Name and location of Name and location of

employeremployer What organization doesWhat organization does Your titleYour title Time employed thereTime employed there Duties and Duties and

responsibilitiesresponsibilities Significant achievementsSignificant achievements

Other InformationOther Information

Relevant SkillsRelevant Skills– LanguageLanguage– Computer expertiseComputer expertise– Date available for workDate available for work

Activities & Activities & AchievementsAchievements– Speaking, writing, Speaking, writing,

athletics, tutoringathletics, tutoring– Fund raisingFund raising– Leadership roles in Leadership roles in

student organizationsstudent organizations

Other InformationOther Information Personal DataPersonal Data

– HobbiesHobbies

– Travel experiencesTravel experiences

AvoidAvoid– Gender, sex, religion, Gender, sex, religion,

marital status, race, marital status, race, color, agecolor, age

List military serviceList military service ReferencesReferences

– Name, Title, Company, Name, Title, Company, AddressAddress

– Give titleGive title

COMMON RESUME COMMON RESUME PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Too longToo long Too short or sketchyToo short or sketchy

Hard to readHard to read WordyWordy

Too slickToo slick AmateurishAmateurish

COMMON RESUME COMMON RESUME PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Poorly reproducedPoorly reproduced Misspelled and Misspelled and

ungrammatical ungrammatical throughoutthroughout

BoastfulBoastful DishonestDishonest GimmickyGimmicky

RESUME FORMATSRESUME FORMATS

Chronological (16.3)Chronological (16.3)– Most recent experience Most recent experience

firstfirst

– Most common type of Most common type of resumeresume

Functional (16.4)Functional (16.4)– Stresses areas of Stresses areas of

accomplishmentsaccomplishments

Targeted ResumeTargeted Resume– Focus on particular skillsFocus on particular skills

APPLICATION LETTERSAPPLICATION LETTERS

PARAGRAPH 1--PARAGRAPH 1--ATTENTIONATTENTION

Solicited or Unsolicited ApplicationSolicited or Unsolicited Application Businesslike beginning from one or two of the Businesslike beginning from one or two of the

following:following:– SummarySummary– NameName– QuestionQuestion– News itemNews item– OtherOther

Mention specific job or fieldMention specific job or field

Summary--Two or three Summary--Two or three outstanding qualificationsoutstanding qualifications

Retailing experience in a department store Retailing experience in a department store similar to yours, business knowledge gained similar to yours, business knowledge gained academically, plus a sincere interest in these academically, plus a sincere interest in these areas have helped me learn the basic areas have helped me learn the basic requirements for running a department requirements for running a department efficiently. I would like to contribute the efficiently. I would like to contribute the practical skills I have acquired by becoming practical skills I have acquired by becoming a part of your management training a part of your management training program.program.

Summary--Two or three Summary--Two or three outstanding qualificationsoutstanding qualifications

It is my understanding that a continuity It is my understanding that a continuity writer for your station must have an writer for your station must have an interest in and knowledge of classical interest in and knowledge of classical music. She or he must have ambition and music. She or he must have ambition and a desire to achieve. Above all, this person a desire to achieve. Above all, this person must be able to write. I have these must be able to write. I have these qualifications and should like to be qualifications and should like to be considered for the job.considered for the job.

Name--an individual or office Name--an individual or office the reader knowsthe reader knows

Dr. Horace Brann, professor of accounting Dr. Horace Brann, professor of accounting and chairperson of the Accounting and chairperson of the Accounting Department at Middle Tennessee State Department at Middle Tennessee State University, has informed me that your University, has informed me that your firm is looking for an accounting major firm is looking for an accounting major who is interested in managerial who is interested in managerial accounting. I should like to be considered accounting. I should like to be considered for the opening in your training program.for the opening in your training program.

Name--an individual or office Name--an individual or office the reader knowsthe reader knows

Your ad in the Sunday Your ad in the Sunday TimesTimes for an for an aggressive person to sell your graphic aggressive person to sell your graphic communication products and services calls communication products and services calls for qualifications that match mine very for qualifications that match mine very closely. With three years’ successful selling closely. With three years’ successful selling as well as servicing of duplicators and as well as servicing of duplicators and electronic systems, plus genuine enthusiasm electronic systems, plus genuine enthusiasm for selling and ability to solve complex for selling and ability to solve complex graphic communications problems, I would graphic communications problems, I would like to join your staff as a sales trainee.like to join your staff as a sales trainee.

Question--for reader benefitQuestion--for reader benefit

For your tourist store in (City), do you For your tourist store in (City), do you need a reliable assistant store manager need a reliable assistant store manager who speaks French and German fluently who speaks French and German fluently and who has successful sales experience and who has successful sales experience and a broad background of business and a broad background of business training? I have these qualifications and training? I have these qualifications and would like to put them to work for you.would like to put them to work for you.

News item--related to employerNews item--related to employer

In a recent (name of journal) article I In a recent (name of journal) article I read with interest that your firm is read with interest that your firm is planning to open a branch office in planning to open a branch office in Mexico. Because my college background Mexico. Because my college background and work experience, plus facility with and work experience, plus facility with Spanish, fit your basic requirements for a Spanish, fit your basic requirements for a research assistant, I would like to apply research assistant, I would like to apply for that job in your branch office.for that job in your branch office.

News item--related to employerNews item--related to employer

Your firm’s consulting activities, and Your firm’s consulting activities, and especially its work in “information systems,” especially its work in “information systems,” may make an individual with my may make an individual with my qualifications and aspirations of interest to qualifications and aspirations of interest to you. My academic concentration on “open you. My academic concentration on “open systems theory.” coupled with practical systems theory.” coupled with practical experience, would enable me to perform experience, would enable me to perform well as a member of your management well as a member of your management consulting staff.consulting staff.

Interest, Desire, Conviction--2 Interest, Desire, Conviction--2 or 3 Paragraphs or 3 Paragraphs

Discussion of your qualifications from a Discussion of your qualifications from a reader-benefit or reader-interest reader-benefit or reader-interest viewpoint. Include your:viewpoint. Include your:– Education and trainingEducation and training– Work experienceWork experience– Significant personal attitudes, interests, Significant personal attitudes, interests,

and/or qualities--related to job requirementsand/or qualities--related to job requirements Reference to resume--onceReference to resume--once

Action--1 paragraphAction--1 paragraph

Request for interviewRequest for interview– At reader’s convenienceAt reader’s convenience– State when you are availableState when you are available

Easy to respondEasy to respond– Phone numberPhone number– Hours you can be reachedHours you can be reached


As I will be in (city) from April 20 to April As I will be in (city) from April 20 to April 25, I will appreciate the opportunity to see 25, I will appreciate the opportunity to see you during that time to discuss further my you during that time to discuss further my desire to serve as one of your investigators. desire to serve as one of your investigators. After you have reviewed my qualifications After you have reviewed my qualifications and examined the enclosed resume, please and examined the enclosed resume, please name a convenient time in a letter to me at name a convenient time in a letter to me at my Seattle address.my Seattle address.


My class schedule allows me to come to My class schedule allows me to come to your office any afternoon except your office any afternoon except Tuesdays. May I have an interview to Tuesdays. May I have an interview to answer any questions about myself that answer any questions about myself that you might have? You can reach me by you might have? You can reach me by telephoning 615-555-1234 before 10 a.m. telephoning 615-555-1234 before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.or after 4 p.m.


Although the resume and this letter give Although the resume and this letter give you some idea of my qualifications, I am you some idea of my qualifications, I am eager to have a personal interview with eager to have a personal interview with you. Or, perhaps I could discuss my you. Or, perhaps I could discuss my qualifications in greater detail with your qualifications in greater detail with your regional personnel representative. Please regional personnel representative. Please let me know how I can get in touch with let me know how I can get in touch with him or her.him or her.

APPLICATION LETTER APPLICATION LETTER DON’TsDON’Ts

Don’t copy a letter Don’t copy a letter written by some other written by some other person person

Don’t write an Don’t write an autobiographyautobiography

Don’t overwork I, me, Don’t overwork I, me, and myand my

Don’t be unduly humbleDon’t be unduly humble Don’t beg or ask for Don’t beg or ask for

sympathysympathy

Don’t sound too casualDon’t sound too casual Don’t lectureDon’t lecture Don’t bragDon’t brag Don’t use a present Don’t use a present

employer’s stationeryemployer’s stationery Don’t express Don’t express

dissatisfaction with a dissatisfaction with a present employer present employer


Don’t emphasize Don’t emphasize graduation unnecessarilygraduation unnecessarily

Don’t use worn Don’t use worn expressionsexpressions

Don’t write in vague, Don’t write in vague, general termsgeneral terms

Don’t simply repeat Don’t simply repeat resume inforesume info

Don’t say you are Don’t say you are qualified; give evidencequalified; give evidence


Documents

WRITING RESUMES AND APPLICATION LETTERS. ANALYZE YOURSELF